The Miami Heat suspend Jimmy Butler for two games, according to multiple reports, including ESPN. Butler missed the team’s flight Wednesday for Thursday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, but planned to rejoin the team Wednesday night. However, the team instead decided to suspend him from the upcoming two-game road trip, which also includes a game against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
This is the second time Butler has been suspended this month, and the latest twist in a weeklong saga over Butler’s future in Miami. The previous suspension was a seven matches ban for “several instances of conduct detrimental to the team.” It ended last Friday and Butler had appeared in the Heat’s final three games. If he is still on the Heat’s roster next week, Butler will be eligible to play again on Jan. 27 against the Magic.
In December, rumors began circulating that Butler might want a trade out of Miami. Heat manager Pat Riley said on December 26 that the team would not trade Butler. Butler then publicly made comments in early January, saying he had no interest in being a part of the Heat organization, and upon the Heat’s official announcement of his first suspension, they stated: “By Through his actions and statements, (Butler) showed that he no longer wanted to be a part of the team.
The Phoenix Suns are considered the leading candidate to land Butler in a trade before the Feb. 6 deadline and his preferred destination reported. However, a deal with the Suns would be difficult because they don’t have the assets Miami wants in exchange for Butler. As of now, no other teams have been reported interested in facing Butler, who has played in just 25 games and is averaging 17 points, its lowest point total since the 2018-19 season.
Ironically, that’s when Butler requested a trade from Minnesota to Philadelphia in a situation where he makes headlines for, in part, leading the Timberwolves’ third-string players to a practice victory over the starters. This came after Butler was away from the team for three weeks after requesting a trade, which ultimately came to his preferred Sixers destination.
While Butler doesn’t use the same antics with the Heat as he did in Minnesota, he still causes enough headaches that Miami wants to suspend him. For Butler’s part, this could be seen as a tactic to try to pressure the Heat into making a deal quickly, although there is no reason for Miami to rush this process.
The Heat have maintained they want players who can help the team win right now, and given the team’s history, it’s unlikely they’ll budge on that. If Phoenix is where Butler wants to go, the Suns will have to do all the heavy lifting to put together a trade package that will undoubtedly require help from at least a third, perhaps a fourth or fifth team to make a deal.
The Suns, for what it’s worth, acquired several first-round picks in an agreement with the Jazz Tuesday evening.
